In a joint news conference with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo in Cairo on Friday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi proposed a possible solution to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Sisi suggested that a future Palestinian state could be demilitarized and have a temporary international security presence to provide guarantees for both the nascent state and for Israel. He mentioned that these security forces could come from organizations such as NATO, the United Nations, or Arab and American forces.
This proposal comes as a potential resolution to the political disagreement surrounding a Palestinian state based on the June 4, 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Despite efforts in the past, achieving this resolution has remained elusive.
However, one suggestion for providing security in the region through an Arab force has been met with resistance. Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi dismissed the idea, citing concerns of becoming perceived as an enemy while trying to clean up the aftermath of Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip, controlled by Palestinian militant group Hamas since 2007.
President Sisi’s proposal offers a new perspective on finding a long-term solution for the ongoing conflict, and could potentially bring new hope for lasting peace in the region.
